Steering rack conversion

Anyone know how this might be done? I have started to do some reading up on this, and I understand that it can be done with a bedford rascal steering rack/column, or possibly with an old mk3 Astra one. I just wondered whether anyone else had looked into this at all?

paradox said:

I love b and m bargains it looks like a post appocoaliptic survival store for the desperate

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Official stalker of poptop2
Formerly known as BayBirmingham
MOTTLBOFC
Member of TLB BBC

if you're going to fit one at least get something robust from a similar sized/weight vehicle. Vauxhall designed failure into their systems...

The is a company who do electro mechanical power steering to fit these buses. At the price for this 'off the shelf' modification you could buy yourself a red 9 coil over beam - Richard claims the steering at parking speeds is incredibly light and obviously is well connected to the steering.

Can I ask why you want power steering? You will need a system which only works at parking speeds - these vans have wander lust and are worse at higher speeds, toing and froing on a steering wheel with power assistance will end in disaster as you over compensate. The steering on these is only heavy at low speeds, you're better off learning to drive the old fashioned way (keep moving with steering inputs) or get one of those bus wheel jobbies

Thanks for your interest - they don't "go forever these", I know your mates got one and had I wanted a Split Screen then I would have bought one! Now frick off and quit bothering me! Oh and by the way, a splitty is a classic, a bay is a classic anything after that might be a classic one day but dont hold your breath.

I want rack steering, not power steering. I have standard wheels/tyres, and I can manoeuvre at slow speeds no problem. I've been trying to work out the Astra one on the Jet Rocket, but I need to stare at the pictures a bit more to work out how it might apply to a late bay. The Astra one looks like it might be a bit more robust than the rascal one. Mind you, the rascal steering system is for a similarly laid out vehicle, so I can see how it might be easier to adapt.

paradox said:

I love b and m bargains it looks like a post appocoaliptic survival store for the desperate

Click to expand...

Official stalker of poptop2
Formerly known as BayBirmingham
MOTTLBOFC
Member of TLB BBC

i thought most power steering systems shut down or go half pressure when at high speeds.....
.ive never had a problem with the vw bay steering ..alot lighter than a merc van of the 80,s or early 90,s..the steering circle is bloody good....mk3 astra looooooooooooooool that cracked me up ....saw a metro one on vzi i think ,think it was a metro ,i know it was a small car

I want rack steering, not power steering. I have standard wheels/tyres, and I can manoeuvre at slow speeds no problem. I've been trying to work out the Astra one on the Jet Rocket, but I need to stare at the pictures a bit more to work out how it might apply to a late bay. The Astra one looks like it might be a bit more robust than the rascal one. Mind you, the rascal steering system is for a similarly laid out vehicle, so I can see how it might be easier to adapt.

do a search - depending on the age of the donor car Vauxhall's steering racks are pants and will wear out quicker than a Nun's bedpost. They had major problems with recalls across the Astra/Zafira range (which used the same gubbins) so you need to make sure you choose the correct model year. I very much doubt that a rascal's will be up to the job due to size/weight of your van

Red 9 or creative are doing a new front beam with a rack mounted to it for £900... saw it at volksworld..
is that a compleate bolt on front beam with brake disc/ steering rack they were asking £1600 at bus freeze.

I want rack steering, not power steering. I have standard wheels/tyres, and I can manoeuvre at slow speeds no problem. I've been trying to work out the Astra one on the Jet Rocket, but I need to stare at the pictures a bit more to work out how it might apply to a late bay. The Astra one looks like it might be a bit more robust than the rascal one. Mind you, the rascal steering system is for a similarly laid out vehicle, so I can see how it might be easier to adapt.

do a search - depending on the age of the donor car Vauxhall's steering racks are pants and will wear out quicker than a Nun's bedpost. They had major problems with recalls across the Astra/Zafira range (which used the same gubbins) so you need to make sure you choose the correct model year. I very much doubt that a rascal's will be up to the job due to size/weight of your van

The rascal conversion seems to have been one used in a few splitties. I think the use of the rascal rack is to do with the fact that it's a single-ended rack (like the creative engineering rack) more than it's robustness or the relative size of the vehicle it comes from, whereas most steering racks have 2 ends with a tie-rod at each end, or both tie rods connected in the middle.

The choice seems to be to use a conventional steering rack, in which case you need to find one the right size to fit neatly between the two chassis rails, along with a T25 bevel box and a load of UJ's, or a single ended rack which is used to attach to the existing idler arm on the beam. The latter would seem to be a simpler conversion (and this is why I think the rascal solution is popular) but still has issues in that if the idler bush is knackered and the ball joints at the end of the rods are ropey, you're still going to get wandering.

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paradox said:

I love b and m bargains it looks like a post appocoaliptic survival store for the desperate

Click to expand...

Official stalker of poptop2
Formerly known as BayBirmingham
MOTTLBOFC
Member of TLB BBC

more than it's robustness or the relative size of the vehicle it comes from

as with most modifications people undertake they often seem to choose style over safety or substance. I wouldn't have thought that something coming out of such a small and light vehicle would be up to the job of keeping such a large and heavy vehicle under tight control